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An avid movie collector reviews movies, games, and TV shows for the common man, among other things. Spoiler Free

Monday, October 27, 2003

Video Game Reviews

Buffy: Chaos Bleeds for PS2
A fun action based game, with a bit of trouble on its puzzles and guidance. For you Buffy fans out there this is a must, it has tons of unlockable videos and interviews with the cast, and the game plays out like an episode with all the action and humor intact. For those of you who don’t care much for Buffy it is still a good action title you just won’t enjoy the unlockables. The multiplayer games are pretty lousy, but this type of game doesn’t usually make for a good multiplayer unless it is co-op playing which sadly this does not have. The graphics are decent, it may look prettier on XBOX but it really doesn’t matter too much. The fighting system is probably the best feature of the game, since it doesn’t require the repetitive button mashing that other games have (Hunter the Reckoning Wayward) but has multiple combos which vary for each character and various weapons which have their own combo strings. I haven’t beat it yet but it is the first in awhile that made me actually want to. Plus, the last unlockable video is the outtakes from the voice recording which should be fun.

The Simpsons Hit and Run for Gamecube
Definitely the best Simpsons game ever. However, I got bored before too long. It was quite the blend of Grand Theft Auto with the Simpsons universe, but many of the things that I loved about GTA are absent from this title, and not enough of what I love from the Simpsons is present. In GTA driving around was fun enough, and I’m sad to say that mad rampaging could entertain endlessly. In the Simpsons game, driving is boring and the Simpsons humor was good but not enough for me to choose it over just watching the show. The world wasn’t as interactive as it could have been so the only things to do are the missions, which quite immediately became desperately hard and had to be replayed over and over before they could be beaten. I think you should rent this one, and rock it out for a few hours, but this one will not keep you entertained enough to purchase it.

These games mark the end of our venture with Gamefly.com. Gamefly was a beautiful dream that doesn’t work for us out here on the east coast. Since, pretty much every mail-order rental service for games is CA based it takes 4-5 days for a game to show up. Therefore, the wait between games is a week and a half to two weeks. Hardly worthwhile for a monthly service. However, the dream is too beautiful to deny and me and George have found another business that is closer to try out. More game reviews on the way.

The last four are based on one level demos that I steal from EBGames. Therefore, I may have an incomplete view of the game, however demos usually put their best foot forward. If the demo sucks, 98% of the time the game does too.

Kill Switch for PS2
I liked this game, and I played the demo level about 15 times. The game premise is basically realistic combat fighting with an emphasis on hiding and shooting, instead of Rambo fighting (My Fav) or stealth fighting (Socom, Tom Clancy Games). So, most of the combat is taking nice positions and trying to out flank your opponent by moving between cover points. The controls, gameplay, and graphics were all good; my only complaint was that shooting on the run was difficult. You’ll find (Esp in my SOCOM review below) that I am big on easyish aiming. But, in light of the rest of the game I will forgive this, esp since you really should be taking shots from cover in most circumstances. I will definitely rent this game when released with an interest to buy if it rules.

Socom 2 for PS2
Now its time for my aiming rant. I used to shoot guns in tournaments, they aren’t that hard to aim, and in real life I can target and deliver the first bullet in about 2 seconds on a close target and if it is a distanced shot about 3-4. With a full automatic gun I could shoot someone four times before my video game partner gets its partner anywhere near the crosshairs. This game has some of the worst aiming in existence. To aim you must use both Analog sticks, must be completely still, and than maybe you will be able to take a shot. What they add for realism is a joke. The crosshairs jump all over because your arms are tired and you are breathing, in real life there would be very little of this problem mostly on taking extremely long-range shots. In this game you are so weak you can’t hold steady on a building let alone a man walking down the street. Now let’s assume that you took the twenty minutes to line up the shot and actually took it, unless you pulled a head shot SURPRISE your enemy is still alive and is running after you. Since, it takes you twenty minutes to aim, he will be a problem. So, after the third heart shot that didn’t kill or even disable my enemy I was ready to quit, (Note: Head Shots are impossible with a waivering crosshair) so I went Rambo until one of my partners got in my way and I shot him. The rest of the team got upset and killed me, THE END. Don’t buy this game when there are other options, maybe if you play online with people, otherwise a piece of beautiful garbage that plays awful.
*Also note that I have played Socom 1, so if you like the series don’t send me a “You know nothing hack” e-mail, the game sucks, lie to yourself if you want but leave me out of it.

XIII for PS2
This game is a first person shooter type that plays out like a comic book. I liked the visual style of the game, and the comic elements were cool. Like when I threw a knife into this guy’s throat it quick flashed three comic like boxes animating his head whipping back and him groaning. The soundtrack is this excellent funk mix that doesn’t get old (although I played the game only a few times, although I listened to the whole soundtrack on CD and its good), and the gameplay was akin to Bond like action. I will rent this one eventually, you should too.

Gladius for PS2
This game sucked so bad I laughed for about 10 minutes I was so shocked this got made. It was not quite an RPG and had no interesting elements of strategy, story, or action. I can’t think of anything good to say, and the bad couldn’t be covered in a short manner. This game has no value, avoid it and tell others to steer clear.

Bedazzled Movie Review

I’m a fan on Harold Ramis (Analyze This, Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, Multiplicity, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Stripes), and most of his comedies are very satisfying to me, in a guilty goofy pleasure kind of way. Bedazzled is the story of a pathetic man who is a total loser, after being turned down by the woman he loves he mutters that he would do anything for her to be a part of his life. In comes the devil, and Brendan Fraser has 7 wishes to enjoy before he forfeits his soul. The shame of his wishes is that the devil interprets each one in such a way that it isn’t enjoyable, for instance – His first wish is that he be rich and powerful and married to the girl he likes, so she makes him a Spanish Drug Lord married to a wife who hates him and cheats on him. I really enjoy Brendan Fraser, he’s one of my favorite “everyman” actors, and in this movie he is really funny in the multiple roles he plays. The other actors also flourish in the multiple roles most notably Orlando Jones, Frances O’Connor, and Elizabeth Hurley who brilliantly plays the devil. It’s a feel good movie, which I am a sucker for, and although I might not dig the theology of it the humor is solid. I am afraid however that they reference my birthday as the day that the Devil began business, I watched the commentary hoping for explanation but maybe my date of birth is truly evil (which may explain a few things).
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